Ron Paul adds delegates so he can change GOP agenda

Ron Paul says he's still on the hunt for GOP convention delegates to advance his political agenda of smaller government.

In an interview today on CNN, the Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate says his recent delegate victories in Maine and Nevada aren't about him getting a plum speaking role at the convention in Tampa. Nor is it about being a skunk at Mitt Romney's party, Paul says

"I'm in it for very precise reasons: to maximize our efforts to get as many delegates as we can. I'm still a candidate, and to promote something that is very, very important, that is a change in the direction for the Republican Party," Paul told CNN.

Paul now has 100 convention delegates, according to an Associated Press tally. Romney, with 919 delegates, is well on his way to attaining the 1,144 delegates needed for the GOP presidential nomination.

The Texas congressman's supporters over the weekend won delegate slots in Maine and Nevada and have plans to garner even more at upcoming state GOP conventions. The Paul supporters have also been successful in Massachusetts and Alaska.

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About Catalina Camia

Catalina Camia leads the OnPolitics online community and has been at USA TODAY since 2005. She has been a reporter or editor covering politics and Congress for two decades, including stints at The Dallas Morning News and Congressional Quarterly. Follow her at @USATOnPolitics.